Phils Walk It Off In Series Finale Against Diamondbacks

After falling behind 3-0 early, the Phils tied the game in the fifth on a Chase Utley home run, but gave up the lead the very next inning on a home run by Paul Goldschmidt. Then, in the 8th, they tied the game again on an error, and got the walk-off win in the ninth on a single by Ryan Howard. The win puts the Phillies OUT of the basement in the NL East, as the Marlins lost today.

ROUGH START FOR LEE

Cliff Lee, a topic of many trade rumors in the past few days, especially when he was claimed by the Los Angeles Dodgers on waivers, had a tough start Sunday. His line looked like this:

Ryan Howard was 0-4 Sunday with three strikeouts until his at-bat in the ninth. Before that at-bat, his August total was 9…in a total of 16 at-bats. Then he hit a big walk-0ff single. Could it be a slumpbuster? We’ll see tomorrow.

DOM BROWN AND ERIK KRATZ NOT IN A SLUMP

Domonic Brown had a hit in all three games of the Arizona series, including two on Sunday, which brings his series average to .364. In both last night’s game and today’s he had a clutch hit that was a big part of the game. Yesterday it was the RBI double, and today it was the single in the 8th that allowed John Mayberry Jr. to score on an error.

Erik Kratz is on fire. Yesterday, he had a solo home run, a walk, and 2 RBI. Today, he had an RBI double, an infield single, and another walk. Surely he won’t keep this pace up, but he has done his job and more in these last two games.

GAME NOTES

The Phillies take on the Braves tomorrow night with Vance Worley (6-6, 3.63 ERA) pitching for the Phils and Ben Sheets (3-1, 1.46 ERA) pitching for the Braves.

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0 Comments

Ken Bland

August 5, 2012 at 4:50 pm

I was looking at Cliff’s gopher totals this morning. I don’t know what his deal is with that this year. He should easily give up more than the last few years by season’s end, putting him as high as the mid 20s.

But earlier in his career, before he was “Cliff Lee”, he had 3 seasons where he gave up 30 or close.

Doc was like that his first year here, gave up in the upper teens in that category. Way up from his normal number, as I recall.

I guess it’s one of those that’s baseball deals. Some years, you just get bit by the long ball..

For quite a number of years after he retired, Hall of Famer Robin Roberts still held the ML record for home runs allowed in a season. I just can’t get too worked up about this.

A tight strike zone sometimes means a pitcher has to put the ball more over the plate, which sometimes leads a long ball. It’s also quite possible that Kratz is unfamiliar with Cliff, and chose to call a few questionable pitches.

For quite a number of years after he retired, Hall of Famer Robin Roberts still held the ML record for home runs allowed in a season. I just can’t get too worked up about this.

It’s much simpler than that. He’s missing his spots- up. They did a really good job showing that on the lead in to the D-backs broadcast. Lot’s of great video showing pitch after pitch, highlighting Chooch’s glove, where the pitch went, and what the unfortunate result was.

Much too technical for McCarthy and Wheels to show.

It happens to pitchers, usually because of release point, sometimes 1/32 of an inch off that make a world of difference. It”s nearly impossible to detect, or if you are the pitcher yourself, to control.

It’s obvious his Lee’s pitch location has been off sometimes this season. But my point is that sometimes there are reasons for that. I know many times this year there have been complaints about the strike zone, and in a game like today’s the catcher and pitcher hadn’t worked together much, if at all.

I’m not trying to make excuses, because Lee has been off more this year than most. I still can’t get worked up about it, though. I expect he’ll be better his next start.

i agree with lefty in that lee was missing his spot at times but i also believe what you indicated george! about the tight strike zone. i can’t tell you how many times this year i’ve seen not just our pitchers but other teams also throw a strike and it should have been a called strike three and on the very next pitch BOOM! HR. it’s uncanny.

Did anyone listen to the radio broadcast? Check out Lee’s splits for men on bases versus bases empty… opponents are hitting .326 with men on base compared to just .224 with the bases empty. For his career, the splits are much more normal (.249 empty, .259 with men on base) so hopefully this is an isolated fluke-year where he’s not focused or he’s simply not able to get it done with men on base. My opinion… I think Lee is fine but I suspect that the oblique injury might have a little something to do with his struggles working out of the stretch. Maybe he’s not able to get as much torque out of his lower half from the stretch. Maybe he’s afraid to really spin those breaking balls. He has had innings this season where his stuff certainly hasn’t been as sharp… he has left a ton of breaking balls up and it might be because he’s just not spinning them hard enough. It’s also tough to bear down and focus when you’re not getting run support (which was the case for a while) and when you’re not in contention (which is the case right now).

Exciting game. Dramatic win and it was great to see Dom Brown play smart and clutch baseball, as well as Mayberry and Utley. Lee had a bad first inning, but sucked it up and pitched tough the rest of the game. And, despite looking terrible in his first at bats, Howard got the winning hit. GO PHILS !!!

Okay, This may be the silliest, most ridiculous thought of the day- I have no proof, nor any motivation to go through the labor of proving it.
But-
I just get the feeling that John Mayberry Jr. plays better when Dominic Brown is in the lineup with him. I’ve felt that way many times in the past, and this year as well. Anyone else notice this?

That’s interesting. Let’s keep an eye on it. Maybe it’s the appearance of what Chuck A. suggested.That they are pushing each other, and we can see it- but without tangible results yet. One thing is certain, the lineup looks better with Brown in it.

Nice win today. “Moving’ on up …” I’m enjoying the way Kratz is playing. Utley has been swinging well also. I’m sure the competition between Mayberry and Brown could be sparking their performance. I don’t care what it is in the end, as long as they keep it up. I’m still hoping they give Cloyd a chance. Go Phillies!

well big ed utley has 7 homers in thirty games! that makes me smile big guy! that project to a 30 + homer season. whatecer he did to get ready for the second half. he better start doing it in january to be ready for april!

Players are having nice ABs and working the pitcher. This team with few more pieces will contend again next year. No dillussions of this season, but I really do like the lineup now despite the lack of a big stick.

ed i wasn’t a big brown fan! i never liked his filding (ie routes to the ball, glove position, throwing to the wrong base, etc.etc.) never liked the position of his bat (too high). however since he’s come back it looks like he did work on a few things and i see a good player starting to emerge! i’m pulling for him big time! i like his approach at the plate, he’s always had a good eye! i just didn’t like that bat up so high where he was vulnerable to that high inside stuff. and as far as his fielding goes? well he looks extremely better! he’s actually having better routes to the ball (he goofed a bit on one) but that’s ok! you learn from that. and if you notice he’s catching the ball with TWO hands now opposed to the one handed side approach! that’s very encouraging. and he’s thrown a guy out at the plate with a dead accurate bullet! go Dom!

Schierholtz is a $1.3 million 3/4 OF that plays above average D. The key is what’s done with the other $12.7 million in 2013. I believe the Pen will be much better next year. Love Kratz as the backup catcher. Just need upgrades at CF and 3b. It should be interesting.

Youkilis is an inverted Placido Polanco (good offensively, defensively limited, and can’t keep himself on the field)

He’s old, in his declining years, has a history of injury problems, and is going to command more money than he’s likely worth. If you can get him for a Polanco-like salary ($4.5 million option in 2013) then sure, pick him up. If he’s going to cost upwards of $10 million, you can’t pay him that.

If Ruben Amaro Jr signs Kevin Youkilis and pays him $10M a year I will organize a demonstration of Phillies fans at CBP after which we will storm Ruben’s office, carry him out and transport him to the airport where he will be placed on a plane to a location that he can’t return from.

Of course, all participants will go to jail but it might just be worth it at that point.

I highly doubt that anyone would be willing to give him 10m per year.. Maybe 7-8.. and that would be pushing it. Rather have him than Polanco, that’s for sure. Polly is 36, Youkilis 33… with Polanco at 37 you gotta wonder whether he’ll be able to play even half of the 162 games.

Original Chuck im not disagreeing with your statement about Lee. However, as a 20 mill+ players even if the Phils only won 10 games this year he better be giving it his all regardless of 1st, last or middle place. I can see though how it can have some sub-conscious effect on him. But still imagine if you told your boss something like that..lol

RAJ said he claimed some players, but I haven’t herd anything. The Giants claimed and got Jose Mijaris whose a pretty good lefty making under a million and under team control through 2014. Why let good ieces like that go?

Phils don’t need a decent Left handed reliever? news to me. That 250K he’s owed this year won’t get the Phils close to the luxury tax. I admit there’s better lefties out there, but Bastardo, Diekman and Valdez aren”t them.

Phils will have about $25 million next year nd they pretty much already acknowledged they’ll be over the LT if necessary since it goes up in 2014. RAJ can get some value on the wire and he said he claimed several players, but I guess we lost out or they got pulled back.